2011 CHEVROLET CORVETTE service

Black plate (58,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
10-58 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with
high-quality tires made by a
leading tire manufacturer. If you
ever have questions about your
tire warranty and where to
obtain service, see your vehicle
Warranty booklet for details.
For additional information refer
to the tire manufacturer.
{WARNING
.Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
.Overloading your tires can
cause overheating as a result
of too much flexing. You
could have a blowout and a
serious accident. SeeVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑14.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Under inflated tires pose the
same danger as overloaded
tires. The resulting crash
could cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently to
maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure
should be checked when
your tires are cold.
.Over inflated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact—such as when you
hit a pothole. Keep tires at
the recommended pressure.
.Worn or old tires can cause a
crash. If your tread is badly
worn, replace them.
.Replace any tires that have
been damaged by impacts
with potholes, curbs, etc.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Improperly repaired tires can
cause a crash. Only your
dealer or an authorized tire
service center should repair,
replace, dismount, and mount
the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 55 km/h (35 mph)
on slippery surfaces such
as snow, mud, ice, etc.
Excessive spinning may
cause the tires to explode.
See Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation on page 10‑67 for
inflation pressure adjustment for
high-speed driving.

Black plate (60,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
10-60 Vehicle Care
The shorter the distance you drive
and the slower the speed, the
greater the chance that the tire will
not have to be replaced. As soon
as possible, contact the nearest
authorized GM or run-flat servicing
facility for inspection and repair or
replacement. When a tire is filled
with air, it provides a cushion
between the road and the wheel.
Because you will not have this
cushion when driving on a deflated
run-flat tire, try to avoid potholes
and other road hazards that could
damage the tire and/or wheel
beyond repair. When a tire has been
damaged, or if you have driven any
distance on a run-flat tire, check
with an authorized run-flat tire
service center to determine whether
the tire can be repaired or should be
replaced. To maintain your vehicle's
run-flat feature, all replacement tires
must be run-flat tires.To locate the nearest GM or run-flat
servicing facility, call Roadside
Assistance. For phone numbers
and Roadside Service details see
Roadside Assistance Program
(United States and Canada) on
page 13‑8
orRoadside Assistance
Program (Mexico) on page 13‑10.
The valve stems on your run-flat
tires have sensors that are part of
the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS). See Tire Pressure Monitor
System on page 10‑68. These
sensors contain batteries which are
designed to last for 10 years under
normal driving conditions. See your
dealer if you ever need to have a
wheel replaced, or if the sensors
ever need replacement. Notice:
Using liquid sealants
can damage the tire valves and
tire pressure monitor sensors
in the vehicle's run-flat tires.
This damage would not be
covered by warranty. Do not use
liquid sealants in the vehicle's
run-flat tires.
Low-Profile Tires
Low‐Profile Performance Tire
The original equipment tires on
your vehicle are classified as
low‐profile performance tires.
These tires are designed for
very responsive driving on wet
or dry pavement. You may also
notice more road noise with
low‐profile tires and that they
tend to wear faster.

Black plate (61,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-61
Notice:If the vehicle has
low‐profile tires, they are more
susceptible to damage from
road hazards or curb impact
than standard profile tires.
Tire and/or wheel assembly
damage can occur when
coming into contact with
road hazards like, potholes,
or sharp edged objects,
or when sliding into a curb.
The vehicle warranty does not
cover this type of damage.
Keep tires set to the correct
inflation pressure and, when
possible avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other
road hazards.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a
tire is molded into its sidewall.
The example below shows a
typical passenger (p‐metric)
tire sidewall.
Passenger (P‐Metric) Tire Example
(A) Tire Size:The tire size
is a combination of letters
and numbers used to define
a particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
“Tire Size” illustration later in this
section for more detail. (B) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet
or exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(C) DOT (Department
of Transportation)
:The
Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that
the tire is in compliance
with the U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.

Black plate (63,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-63
(E) Rim Diameter:Diameter of
the wheel in inches.
(F) Service Description
:These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents
the load carrying capacity a tire
is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a
tire is certified to carry a load.
Tire Terminology and
Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount
of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch
of the tire. Air pressure is
expressed in psi (pounds per
square inch) or kPa (kilopascal). Accessory Weight
:This
means the combined weight
of optional accessories.
Some examples of optional
accessories are, automatic
transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows,
power seats, and air
conditioning.
Aspect Ratio
:The relationship
of a tire's height to its width.
Belt
:A rubber coated layer of
cords that is located between
the plies and the tread. Cords
may be made from steel or other
reinforcing materials.
Bead
:The tire bead contains
steel wires wrapped by steel
cords that hold the tire onto
the rim. Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic tire
in which the plies are laid at
alternate angles less than
90 degrees to the centerline
of the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The
amount of air pressure in a tire,
measured in psi (pounds per
square inch) or kPa (kilopascal)
before a tire has built up heat
from driving. See Tire Pressure
on page 10‑66.
Curb Weight
:The weight of a
motor vehicle with standard and
optional equipment including
the maximum capacity of fuel,
oil, and coolant, but without
passengers and cargo.

Black plate (71,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-71
TPMS Malfunction Light and
Message
The TPMS will not function properly
if one or more of the TPMS sensors
are missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the
low tire warning light flashes for
about one minute and then stays
on for the remainder of the ignition
cycle. A DIC warning message is
also displayed. The low tire warning
light and DIC warning message
come on at each ignition cycle until
the problem is corrected. Some of
the conditions that can cause the
malfunction light and DIC message
to come on are:
.The TPMS sensor matching
process was not done or not
completed successfully. The DIC
message should go off after
successfully completing the
sensor matching process.
.One or more TPMS sensors
are missing or damaged. Under
these conditions the TPMS
malfunction light (low tire
warning light) comes on, and at
the same time the DIC message
is displayed. The DIC message
and TPMS malfunction light
should go off once the TPMS
sensors are installed and the
sensor matching process is
performed successfully.
.Replacement tires or wheels do
not match your vehicle's original
equipment tires or wheels. Tires
and wheels other than those
recommended for your vehicle
could prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. SeeBuying
New Tires on page 10‑73.
.Operating electronic devices or
being near facilities using radio
wave frequencies similar to the
TPMS could cause the TPMS
sensors to malfunction. If the TPMS is not functioning it
cannot detect or signal a low tire
condition. See your dealer for
service if the TPMS malfunction
light and DIC message comes on
and stays on.
TPMS Sensor Matching
Process
Each TPMS sensor has a unique
identification code. Any time you
replace one or more of the TPMS
sensors or rotate your vehicle's
tires, the identification codes will
need to be matched to the new
tire/wheel position. The sensors
are matched to the tire/wheel
positions in the following order:
driver side front tire, passenger side
front tire, passenger side rear tire,
and driver side rear tire using a
TPMS diagnostic tool. See your
dealer for service.

Black plate (74,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
10-74 Vehicle Care
GM's exclusive TPC Spec system
considers over a dozen critical
specifications that impact the
overall performance of your
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire pressure
monitoring performance. GM's TPC
Spec number is molded onto the
tire's sidewall near the tire size.
If the tires have an all‐season
tread design, the TPC Spec number
will be followed by an MS for mud
and snow. SeeTire Sidewall
Labeling on page 10‑61, for
additional information.
GM recommends replacing tires in
sets of four. This is because uniform
tread depth on all tires will help
keep your vehicle performing most
like it did when the tires were new.
Replacing less than a full set of
tires can affect the braking and
handling performance of your
vehicle. See Tire Inspection on
page 10‑72 andTire Rotation on
page 10‑72.{WARNING
Tires could explode during
improper service. You or others
could be injured or killed if you
attempt to mount or dismount
a tire. Only your dealer or an
authorized tire service center
should mount and dismount the
tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as your original equipment
tires may not be available for H, V,
W, Y and ZR speed rated tires.
If you choose snow tires with a
lower speed rating, never exceed
the tire's maximum speed capability.
{WARNING
Mixing tires could cause you to
lose control while driving. If you
mix tires of different sizes (other
than those originally installed on
your vehicle), brands, or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly,
and you could have a crash.
Using tires of different sizes
(other than those originally
installed on your vehicle), brands
or types, may also cause damage
to your vehicle. Be sure to use
the correct size, brand, and type
tires on all four wheels.

Black plate (76,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
10-76 Vehicle Care
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires
by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance.
This applies only to vehicles
sold in the United States.
The grades are molded on
the sidewalls of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform TireQuality Grading (UTQG)
system does not apply to deep
tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver, or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal
rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based
on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified
government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150
would wear one and a
half (1½) times as well on the
government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices
and differences in road
characteristics and climate.

Black plate (81,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-81
A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and
may require the same correction
you would use in a skid. In any rear
blowout remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle
under control by steering the way
you want the vehicle to go. It may
be very bumpy and noisy, but you
can still steer. Gently brake to a
stop, well off the road, if possible.
The vehicle has no spare tire, no
tire changing equipment, and no
place to store a tire.The vehicle, when new, had run-flat
tires. This type of tire can operate
effectively with no air pressure, so
you will not need to stop on the side
of the road to change a flat tire.
You can just keep on driving. The
shorter the distance you drive and
the slower the speed, the greater
the chance that the run-flat tire will
not have to be replaced. Run-flat
tires perform so well without any air
that a Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) is used to alert you if a tire
has lost pressure. See
Run-Flat
Tires on page 10‑59 andTire
Pressure Monitor System on
page 10‑68.{WARNING
Special tools and procedures
are required to service a run-flat
tire. If these special tools and
procedures are not used you
or others could be injured and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Always be sure the proper tools
and procedures, as described in
the service manual, are used.
To order a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering
Information on page 13‑15.